“Think happy thoughts.” One thing that I admired with Disney Movies is their ability to make quotes. That one was from the movie, Peter Pan.
One more quote that really moved me is “It’s about mind-over-matter”. One’s thought absolutely what makes us human. If you think of yourself as a bad person, then that is what makes you.
The power of the mind, by man’s measure, is vast. As Confucius coined it, “There is nothing in the world so large that the mind of the moral can conceive of something much larger that the mind of the moral man can hold. There is nothing in the world so small that the mind of the moral man can conceive of something much smaller that the mind of the moral man can split”. In totality, our mind is always hungry. It can’t be satisfied. It always seek more than what it has. There lies the greatest problem of Christianity; relying too much on their own minds, on their own thoughts.
But the thing here is we, as Christians, should never dwell on our thoughts but God’s. God’s thoughts are higher than ours. Isaiah 55:8-9 clearly states, 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. God’s mind is what makes us who we really are. Human side is one thing but being who you really are is different. As God’s children we never claim that problems will break us. To be broken is our human nature. But God’s thoughts are higher than ours and allowing such problems in our lives make us stronger in faith and reason rather than broken. It’s a matter of faith. This is what separates Christians from others. Thus, the power of one’s mind is, in truth, foolishness to God for it is written “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Cor 1:25”; “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1 Cor 3:19”. We have feeble minds compared to God’s.
Do we know the thoughts of God? 1 Cor 2:11 states “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”. No man knows the thoughts of God, only His Spirit. So, how then could we know the thoughts of God? In 1 Cor 2:12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” So, we must receive the spirit of God. How will we receive the spirit of God? 1 Cor 2:9 states, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” It means that only through loving God will we receive His Spirit.
Consider the motorcycle; have you ever known the thought of other men that it is crucial to wear one’s helmet at any cost when driving? Of course, you know because motorcycle accidents are common and you have seen accidents in the daily news, watch it on movies or even experienced one (I have plenty of experiences on that). As children, we never knew the thoughts of our parents why they insist that we sleep in the afternoon; to study hard and do our assignments; why we should eat more vegetables and fruits rather than chips and junk foods; why we should sleep early and wake up early. We will never know this things if we don’t have the same spirit as with them; meaning that we know their feelings as well.
As adults, we will never know the thoughts of our superiors unless we are in their shoes. We don’t know why they keep on insisting that we submit our weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports; why inventory on supplies is essential; why they keep on doing things differently every week; why they keep on changing our shifts. We will not know nor ever know unless we have the same spirit as theirs.
Remember the saying, “In unity there is freedom”? Unity means the state of being one; having harmony in opinion, interest and feeling. Thus, unity means having the same spirit. In all organization, unity is always the reason of their success. Teamwork and not solo-work paves the way to success. To have a happy family, the family members must be united. To have a happy relationship, both parties must be in harmony. To have a soul-winning church, all leaders and members must be united with the vision of their pastor. All success lies on this: UNITY. That is what God is telling us. We must be united with Him. And through this unity, He will give His Spirit. And once we have His Spirit, we will know His thoughts. And do you know where the thoughts of the Lord are? It is in your Bibles.
The Essentials on How NOT to THINK our Thoughts but God’s
1.Turn away from old ways (Isa 55:7a Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts…)
As new creatures of Christ, we must try not to live on our past. 2 Cor 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Imagine your dream house, fully-furnished including everything that you will ever need. It has a library complete with books that you need. It has a pool that you can soak your feet with. It has a wide lawn to place whatever things you want to be placed. When I say fully-furnished, I mean FULLY-FURNISHED. If you will go to your dream house, will you bring your old clothes, old shoes, old TV sets, old bed, and old plates? No right? Because it is fully-furnished. The old things don’t fit to new things. It will just destroy the beauty of it. Matt 9:17 states, “Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”
Don’t let the things of this world confuse you with the things that God will give. If you have a financial problem, the solution of this world is to work harder, even on Sundays and, if possible, work 24 hours a day. But do you know God’s solution? You have to give more. You have to tithe more. The secret of blessing is not about receiving but on giving. Our Lord Jesus has said, “Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” That is not our thought but it is God’s. Having more is giving more. And giving more is having more.
2. Have God’s mercy (Isa 55:7b …and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.)
Jesus had said, “Matt 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He was implying that we must love mercy as stated in Mic 6:8 (He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God).
3. Invite righteousness (Isa 55:8-9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.)
Many of us, Christians, forgot the thoughts of God for us (Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.) God’s plan for us is of peace, not evil. And this peace has an expected end. That is why we have this hope that God has given us, a hope for a future of peace in all aspects of our lives; spiritual, physical, emotional and financial. God is telling us right now, “Have it your way, or My way”.
4. Need to understand His ways (Isa 55:10-11 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.)
Rom 11:33 states, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Those are the ways of the Lord; unfathomable, unsearchable and way past our wisdom. How then will we understand His ways? The Holy Spirit is our Guide (John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.) Can’t we see that God has everything planned right from the very beginning? But to be able to be taught new things from the Holy Spirit, we must have God’s pure words. We must have the Bible in our hands; reading it, loving it and learning from it.
5. Keep Going (Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.)
To tell you with all honesty, many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Jesus Himself said in John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” These are the prerequisites of being a servant of the Lord:
a. He must be chosen by God, not by man.
b. He is ordained by God, not by man
c. He must do good works
d. He must have results
e. These results give good testimony to others
My Thoughts are Not Your Thoughts
By Ptr. J Balao